I would say that two of the reasons are that the high-gluten flour, because of its relatively high protein content, will yield a dough and crust with more color and flavor. And since the dough will usually be run through a roller or sheeter, the better gas production from using the high-gluten flour will not mean much since the gases in the dough will be forced out when the dough is run through the sheeter or roller.

The cracker style pizza can be made using all-purpose flour, bread flour or high-gluten flour. I found that bread flour was a good compromise from the standpoint of crust color and flavor. My favorite bread flour for the cracker style was Better for Bread flour (formerly called Harvest King flour).

I use King Arthur all-purpose flour for making both of these pizzas. I have tried using a hydration of <42% but it is very difficult for me to roll out that low of a hydrated dough by hand, so I have compromised and gone with no less than 42%. You could try bread flour, as Petezza has suggested (I also use Gold Medal Better for Bread as he does for some of my recipes), but keep in mind that a higher gluten protein content of the flour will absorb more of the water in the dough, thereby giving a drier dough.

The dough relaxers and conditioners are not necessary for these doughs, but since I generally have created my cracker or American style recipes based off of clones from commercial pizza restaurants, I have gone to using them just to try and mimic what is done in the commercial setting.

I generally use a food processor (Quisinart) with a dough blade for making these types of doughs, then bag up the dough in an old plastic bread bag and toss it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours.

ME, Can you really feel the difference in the dough using such a little amount of relaxer and conditioner? I too have come to the conclusion that commercial premixes contain more in them than just the flour typically listed on the bag.

ME, great looking pizzas. Nice job. I want some. Disregard the other thoughts about the proportion of bowl residue. Your's is positively right in the ball park. Don't they know that we peel away excess dough if we feel its too much? I have a pan like yours that I don't use much, but I'll have to try it some more. Again, great looking pizzas.

Pythonic, for crispy thin crusts, I prefer KA Bread Flour, but have often used KAAP instead and it still turned out great. But Peter's suggestion on the General Mills brand is super great, too.

Disregard the other thoughts about the proportion of bowl residue. Your's is positively right in the ball park. Don't they know that we peel away excess dough if we feel its too much?

Um, I don't mean to be anal about this , but we were just making light of the fact that he said "bowel residue" instead of "bowl residue." I think that everyone would agree that any amount of bowel residue is too much!

ME, Can you really feel the difference in the dough using such a little amount of relaxer and conditioner? I too have come to the conclusion that commercial premixes contain more in them than just the flour typically listed on the bag.

I think they do make some difference, but not a huge difference. It's hard to describe. Having worked with these types of doughs, I know you'll appreciate it when I say that it's as much about the personal feel as anything else. Sort of like a surgeon working on a patient or a mechanic working on a car. The "feel" when working dough is very important, but you can't explain it, you have to just do it. It comes with experience.

Um, I don't mean to be anal about this , but we were just making light of the fact that he said "bowel residue" instead of "bowl residue." I think that everyone would agree that any amount of bowel residue is too much!

ME, great looking pizzas. Nice job. I want some. Disregard the other thoughts about the proportion of bowl residue. Your's is positively right in the ball park. Don't they know that we peel away excess dough if we feel its too much? I have a pan like yours that I don't use much, but I'll have to try it some more. Again, great looking pizzas. --BTB

Thank you very much, BTB. I regard your own accomplishments quite highly. In fact, I will be making a deep dish pizza this weekend with a recipe closely based on one of yours.

I use the higher bowl residue percentage (got it right this time) because it becomes easier when trying to roll out a 14" round dough disk to make sure you have enough dough to work with. Also, as BTB has alluded to, it gives you extra scraps of dough after you have cut out your disk from the rolled out dough (I use a 14" pizza screen as a template to cut out the disk). Scraps are important if you have a 4-year old who likes to be involved in whatever you are doing and wants to help. To her, taking those scraps, cutting out shapes, saucing and cheesing them, is about as good as it gets.

Thanks, JimmyJack. It is Italian sausage. We have 2 excellent local producers of Italian sausage in the Kansas City area, just like I remember from my childhood days in Illinois and Wisconsin. In that part of the country, it tends to be sausage, not pepperoni, that is the number 1 topping for pizzas.

Thanks, Colonel. Hey, I remember when Vito Scotti used to guest star on the old Hogan's Heroes as an Italian officer working as a double-agent against the Germans. He always wanted to eat pizza, and Klink always wanted to feed him sauerbraten.